Target (NYSE: TGT)

Gregg Steinhafel was named president and chief executive
officer of Target Corporation in May 2008 and became chairman
of the board of directors in January 2009. He began his
career at Target as a merchandising trainee in 1979.
You say that “diversity is a business imperative.”

How do women in executive leadership roles
impact Target’s success?

From the sales floor to the highest levels of the company
— including our board of directors — gender diversity plays
a critical role in our ability to understand and serve our
guests. We are fortunate to have strong female representation
throughout the company, including executive
leadership positions.

Because 85 percent of our guests are female, our female
team members provide a valuable point of view that informs
our guest-focused strategy.

How do women in executive leadership roles
impact the internal culture at Target?

Nearly 60 percent of our team members are female. Their
collaborative work styles, strategic insights, and drive for
results positively influence our performance and our overall
ability to stay aligned and connected as a company with
350,000 team members.

Executive women also play a key role in our company culture
by sharing their stories, perspectives, and voices to bring
awareness of and understanding to challenges that affect
women in the workplace.

What advice do you have for women who are trying
to advance? What advice do you have for men who
are making those decisions?

When it comes to advancement decisions, we focus on
performance and potential, regardless of gender. We are
committed to fostering an inclusive culture where all team
members have the same opportunity to succeed.
When people — female or male — ask me for career advice,
I always ask them about their personal development plans.
Without a personal commitment to one’s own development,
it’s hard for others to play a meaningful role.

At Target, we expect all team members to create plans
focused on their strengths and opportunities so they can
continue to grow. And we embrace a 70-20-10 model of
development — 70 percent happens on the job; 20 percent is
the result of relationships with peers, mentors, and coaches;
and 10 percent happens through formal training.